Scott Miller readies new CD
Wednesday, February 4, 2009 – Scott Miller, known for his solo work and as a guiding light of The Vroys, will be out with "For Crying Out Loud" April 14, he announced Wednesday.
His last CD, "Appalachian Refugee Demos," helped pave the way for the new release. With proceeds from Internet sales of that album (demos from a Marantz hard-disc recorder with handmade cover art for each copy), Miller financed the new CD on his own F.A.Y. Records. The CD was produced by Nashville producer Mike Webb (Allison Moorer, Stacey Earle, Glenn Tilbrook) and features the Commonwealth (guitarist/keyboardist Jeremy Pennebaker, bassist Chris Autry and drummer Shawn McWilliams) and includes guest artists Patty Griffin and Tim O'Brien.
Miller had the band play to guitar and vocal performances on those demos, building them into full-on band tracks.
I'm Right Here, My Love is a ballad with Griffin. "The thing I like about working with Patty is that we got along great before we'd even heard each other's music," he said. "We also grew up in the same home town, except mine was in Virginia, and hers was in Maine."
Miller, one of the founders of the seminal roots rock band The Vroys, who recorded three albums for Steve Earle and Jack Emerson's label E-Squared Records - went on to a successful solo career at Sugar Hill Records where he released four albums from 2001-2008.
Miller and the Commonwealth will take to the road immediately following the CD release. Dates will be announced
CD reviews for The V-Roys
Are You Through Yet?
The V-Roys came and went way too quickly. But fans can find some relief in this live album recorded last summer at the Down Home club in Johnson City, Tenn.
The set list largely comes from the band's last studio album, "All About Town." The rest is made up of songs from the band's only other album, "Just Add Ice" and well-done covers of The Replacements ("IOU"), Bap Kennedy ("I Want My Money"), Loudon Wainwright III ("Out of This World"), Neil Young ("Motion Pictures") and The La's ("There She Goes"). »»»
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All About Town
The V-Roys' latest effort is a real mixed bag. While it's all good, there's not a lot it that you could really call country. Three tracks are the most country, actually more bluegrass it gets. "Virginia Way/Shenandoah Breakdown" is a gentle, mandolin-laced ballad with a spirited banjo break at the end. A final, hidden track at the end is a rollicking bluegrass hoedown.
Otherwise, there are a few folky tunes, including "Fade Away" and "Sorry Sue," along with an Irish-influenced rocker, "Over the Mountain. »»»
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Editorial: Walking the talk –
When names like Hank Williams, Johnny Cash, Waylon and the Hag are invoked, you're talking hard core country. These are the touchstones of country , the guys who made country music what it was and still is (or maybe can be). When these folks would sing about being down-and-out and the rough-and-tumble, they knew of what they were singing about. Fast forward a few years to the country singers of today. »»»
Concert Review: Steve Earle doesn't rest (on laurels) –
If you didn't realize Steve Earle had a new disc out, "The Low Highway," it would have been no problem realizing that quite and quickly.
That was because Earle started the two-hour show with three straight tracks from "The Low Highway," and he would not be done for the night. The title track of was a midtempo effort... »»»
Concert Review: The Howlin' Brothers leave the radar behind –
The Howlin' Brothers - this trio, in reality, contains no brothers - are about eight years into their career and on their fifth album. To say they've been under the radar screen may be an understatement. You couldn't even say they've been flying under that screen because they have stuck very close to their Nashville environs.... »»»
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